Many illustrations of this limitation are found. A more funda mental one is suggested by the London Nation in saying that the Wolff Agency " at least realized something of the dizzy possibil ities of its position , and made a nation 's thinking by a bold and
adventurous handling of fact." 31 Only in the third form , a co-operative association like that of
the Associated Press, does it seem possible to reduce these dangers to a minimum ,— they can never be absolutely eliminated.
Even in a co -operative association, the highest type that has as yet been developed or that it seems possible to develop, there lurks the question how far an association in its selection of news unconsciously becomes a means of influencing public opinion and
to that extent becomes a propagandist. Before the question of the authoritativeness of news-collecting organizations can be finally dismissed , another side must be
considered . All such associations have their own difficulties, as
well as serious obstacles to overcome, in their efforts to serve the press . They must surmount not only the initial difficulties
involved in collecting reliable news, but they later encounter the obstacles of censorship ; the exigencies of reaching telegraph and cable stations through the dangers inherent in war condi tions; the congestion of telegraph and cable lines; the dangers to their own morale through merciless criticism and entire lack of appreciation of the difficulties under which their work is done ;
the piracy of rival organizations and the prolonged litigation that ensues; the growing embarrassment of securing important items of news from those in a position to give them ; the tempta the Holy See. In 1890, the Osservatore Romano was bought by the Pope, and M . Casoni, the director, was told “ that nations and governments should
be scrupulously respected , especially those which maintained good rela
tions with theHoly See,” — a difficult provision, said Casoni, “ in view of the amount of consideration to be observed towards governments in friendly
intercourse with the Holy See, even when they deserved the severest cen sure.” — Granvelle, “ The Vatican and the Press," Contemporary Review , December, 1908, 94 : 650 -665.
31 April 24, 1915 , 17: 108 - 109. For the Wolff Agency, see A . Meister, Die deutsche Presse im Kriege und später, pp. 38- 41. — The author gives in chapter 3, “ Die Organisation des Nachrichtendienstes," a full account of
the Havas,as well as of theReuter ,Wolff,and other national agencies. - An excellent survey of press agencies is given in Paul Eltzbacher, Die Presse
als Werkzeug der Auswärtigen Politik , especially on the side of their oppor
tunities for circulating propaganda.
